


Home Run

by JustOneDay



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer, One Direction
Genre: Angst, Divorced Couple, F/M, I'm just slowly editing it before uploading, Liam is a Firefighter, Louis is a baseball player, M/M, Not tagging a couple that will spoil the book, This is completed, mostly angst, so is Harry, so is Niall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-18 08:24:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13096215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustOneDay/pseuds/JustOneDay
Summary: Liam's moved on, made something of his life. Louis has too, so really why does it matter who they were to each other? It shouldn't, at least as far as Liam's concerned it shouldn't. It doesn't seem that the world feels the same way. And Harry? He just wants to stare at Niall, sue him.





	1. Home Run

It’s been five years now, and if Liam’s still not over it he would never admit to it. Not even Harry has access to his inner most thoughts like this, and it’s not as if Liam thinks about it often. He really hasn’t thought of him in two years actually. Liam moved on, he really did and he’s gotten past the heartbreak and anger and rage that accompanied him in Liam’s memory. Honestly though, Liam is fine and this breaking news doesn’t bother him

It. Doesn’t.

Of course apparently no one else in the entire world seems to believe Liam, if the tabloids are anything to go by. He’s not sure whether or not he should just walk by and pretend he doesn’t see the people on the cover of the magazine or if he should buy it with the sole intention of burning it. It might be a bit childish, but then again it was always Harry who was telling Liam that being childish was required every now and then. In the end, Liam didn’t feel like wasting his money on that shit. He didn’t care about it, or well—he shouldn’t and the fact that he shouldn’t give a shit anymore won out over anything else.

Louis was out of his life, and he had been for a good five years. It didn’t help to dwell on the past, not anymore.


	2. If You Say So

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam's really not bothered by Louis being in the media. Truly.

“Li, you seen the news? I mean can you believe it?! That Tomlinson is one hell of bloke. He not only smashed the title, but he brought his fucking team to the World Series. I mean, Liam do you know how long it’s been since the fucking Cubs have won shit? I can’t even believe it.” Harry was chatting up a storm about it when Liam walked into work the next day.

He really should have known, Harry was one to care about shit facts like baseball, no matter that he wasn’t even a fan of the sport. He was such a child sometimes that it honestly amazed Liam. Of course if Liam was going to be looking into it he’d say that the only reason Harry even gave a shit about baseball was because of certain blond boy he’d seen on a commercial no more than three weeks before.

He really was too predictable sometimes.

“Harry, do you honestly give a shit about that?” Liam asked, still buttoning up his uniform. He had been promoted to chief less than six months before and it was still weird for Liam to don the white shirt in comparison to Harry’s blue shirt.

Fire Chief was quite the honor to receive especially when he was only twenty-seven years old.

“Liam, this is history, who doesn’t give a shit about it?” He pouted his lips and Liam just rolled his eyes before leaving Harry to his mopping and walked into his office.

Liam loved his job. He loved it more than anything else in his life anymore. It had become who he was, and he was more than alright with that. Liam was the job, and if that meant he put himself in dangerous situations sometimes, then so be it. His family worried about him, but thankfully he’d moved away from his hometown long ago and they didn’t exactly keep up on his job from a thousand miles away. It scared him that one day he wouldn’t come back from one of his calls and then they’d have to get the call from someone else telling them he hadn’t made it. But those thoughts were few and far between.

Liam loved being able to work twenty-four hour shifts before getting a whole forty-eight off. He enjoyed the freedom of working closely with men that had more than become his brothers. His team was just that—a team. He couldn’t imagine replacing a single member on his unit, and he wouldn’t want to either.

Harry of course, he cared a little more for. Liam wasn’t one to pick favorites but there was just something about the way Harry had latched onto Liam when they started the Fire Academy together that mattered to Liam. Harry had been there every step of the way, even when some other people had given up on him and left him behind. Harry had never forgotten who his friends were, no matter how many he had, and that sat well with Liam.

Friends, family, and lovers—they’re supposed to support you, and Harry was one of the good ones.

“Liam fucking Payne!” Or at least he was one of the good ones when he wasn’t shouting at Liam like that. “Liam!”

“What?” Liam groaned from his office, he’d only been sat in there for two—three hours tops, when Harry’s raspy voice made its way across the place.

“Liam fucking Payne, you’ve been holding out on me.” Harry barked, slamming Liam’s office door open without so much as a knock—Liam really needed to get him out of the habit.

“What are you on about, mate?” Liam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stop the onslaught of a headache that Harry was bound to bring about him.

“I’m talking about you’re fucking marriage to one of the most sought after ball players to come about this decade. That’s what I’m fucking talking about.”

Oh.

Liam really should have known that small fact was going to come out eventually. With Louis’ team not only winning the World Series but his engagement to one of the wealthiest women in world, Sandra Sanders(and really, what kind of name was that even, Liam often times wondered) had gotten things swirling. Of course Liam had hoped that he would remain in the background, just out of the spotlight and maybe even out of the entire situation entirely.

It wasn’t as if he enjoyed talking about his failed marriage or anything.

“Oh—that. Right, um—it slipped my mind?” Liam tried, cringing slightly as Harry huffed puffily at him, his curls flying around his head as he shook it rather aggressively if Liam were to describe it.

“Slipped yer mind? How the bloody hell did that happen mate? I’ve only known you for the last five years or so, and I’m pretty damn sure you weren’t wearing a wedding ring of any sort. Not to mention you’ve never once hinted at having a past.” He was pouting now, and that was almost worse than him being angry. At least when Harry was angry he was ridiculous looking, but when he was pouting it was all Liam could do not to roll his eyes and punch the other lad in the face.

Seriously though, it was as if Harry forgot that he was twenty-five years old or something.

“If you keeping pouting I will never tell you.” At that Harry simply rolled his eyes.

“Sorry.” He huffed, before dropping the act and getting down to business. “So Mr. Payne, or is it Tomlinson?” Liam threw him a dirty look that had him shutting up almost instantly. “Sorry, sorry. Anyways, what happened there? You’ve never even acted as if you’d heard of the lad last time I brought him up and now I find out you more than know him but were bloody married to him. I mean, what is that about Li?”

Liam sighed, bringing his hands up to run through his hair. He was honestly just tired of this entire subject. His family had more than hounded him enough for what had gone wrong between the two, and when push came to shove it was a lot of little things that just built up. Louis wasn’t the one to blame, not completely at least. Liam wasn’t either though, it just sort of fell apart faster than it came together. It was like one moment Liam was happy at the thought of coming home to find Louis draped lazily over the sofa, to being angry at him for simply breathing the same air as him. Not that Liam had ever been married before but that wasn’t exactly what he thought consisted of a good marriage.

Not to mention Louis turned into the biggest prick ever, but that was beyond the point.

“We didn’t work out, simple as that.” Liam shrugged, before going back to his paperwork.

“Liam.”

Liam ignored Harry and continued to type up his new financial drafts for the board on Friday.

“Liam Payne.”

He simply continued to type, but it seemed Harry wasn’t in the mood to be ignored.

“Liam James Payne, look at me right now.” He clipped out, just as he pulled the fucking plug from the wall—shutting the computer off almost instantly.

“The fuck Harry?!”

“You deserved it you jackass. You can’t just say ‘it didn’t work out’ and leave it at that. Something had to have happened Liam.”

“That is what happened Harry, it didn’t work out, I’m not sure what more you want than that.” Liam sighed, rolling his eyes as if he didn’t know that Harry wouldn’t be satisfied with these nothing answers. Liam didn’t stop himself from trying though.

“Alright well how long were you married?” Harry cocked an eyebrow at that, a smug look overcoming his face as he realized there was no way to skim on those details.

“A year.” Harry furrowed his eyebrows before he continued on.

“How long did you date before that?”

“Seven months, give or take.”

“How long have you known him?”

“I knew him for about two years.”

Harry frowned at that but didn’t comment on it. “When did you call it quits?”

“Five and a half years ago.”

“The fuck? You didn’t think to mention that you were married when I met you?! Real classy there mate.” Harry started to pout again and Liam just rolled his eyes.

“We were married for a year, I didn’t say we were together for the entire year. We got divorced right before our one year anniversary. It’s not exactly something I was going to bring up in casual conversation Harry.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’d only just met you twat, why else?”

Harry took a minute to think that over before he finally gave in and simply shrugged his shoulders as if conceding. Liam often wondered why he was friends with Harry when he could be such a nosy prick. Of course then he’d go and do something like this and well Liam couldn’t exactly push him out of his life when Harry said such sincere things to him, and meant them even more so.

“Are you alright?” His drawl was slow, but Liam knew that simply meant he was really thinking his words through, not exactly something Harry often did.

“I’m fine mate.”

“Yeah but… he’s engaged. Does that not bother you?”

“It’s been five years Harry, I’m over it. The past is where it needs to stay—in the past.”

Harry watched Liam for a little while longer, as if he was afraid it didn’t matter how long it’d been since Liam’s divorce that Liam could still be in over his head with it all. He was looking at Liam as if it was only yesterday that Louis had walked out of his life, instead of five and a half years ago. It was silly, at least in Liam’s opinion it was. He was over it, more than that—he had moved on. He wished Louis the best with his life, he just didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.

“If you say so mate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the first chapter. Hope you enjoy the next will be up within the next couple days.


	3. Present Tense

Sadly, just because Liam wished to leave the past in the past, didn’t mean that everyone felt that way. It was a week later when he realized this, to no fault of his own. He was simply jogging back home from his morning run when he saw a car parked in front of his house. It wasn’t a big house, more like a cottage than a full on house but it was warm and cozy and Liam fell in love with it from the first moment he laid eyes on it. Of course, not everyone felt that way, but Liam always had a thing for quirky things—there was just something awe inspiring about finding beauty in something that often times were overlooked.

It seemed that whoever was outside his house didn’t see things exactly the same way, if the expensive car was anything to go by at least. Liam had zero expectations as to who it was—but really why should he? It wasn’t like he got visitors often, or at least when they did they drove moderate looking cars, like Harry and Zayn. No one that Liam knew would have ever been able to afford a car to that magnitude, so really the owner should have been obvious.

Should have been, being the key word because when it came to Liam he expected very little from life, and this was certainly not a small matter.

He’d only just reached his driveway, his earbuds still in his ears when someone tapped him on the shoulder. It wasn’t an unusual thing for someone to try and talk to him after his run, so he turned around expecting Mr. Harper his next door neighbor, or even Nancy, the single woman across the street that didn’t seem to understand Liam’s lack of interest in her. Of course, when he turned around it was neither one of Liam’s guesses. Actually if Liam had made any other guesses in his life, the person that was standing behind him would have been the last person in the entire world on Liam’s list of guesses. He probably would have even stooped as low as to say a dead person before saying their name.

Liam’s eyes widened in shock as he made eye contact with Sandra Sanders.

She was even more beautiful in person than her pictures made her out to be, not that Liam expected any different—Louis would only ever pick the best, Liam being his one mistake in that department apparently. Her long blond hair drifted down her back in careless waves, and her skin was absolutely flawless, so he’d have to ditch his original speculation of Photoshop being what made her beautiful. She was beautiful in every way that a woman could be, and she was smiling oddly at him.

“Uh—yes?” Liam managed, as he pulled his earbuds out, finally taking in the early morning chatter of the world.

“Hello, um—I know this may seem a bit odd and all, but I felt like I should meet you. I know that’s probably a bit weird, but you did marry him first and I just… well it felt wrong to marry Louis if I didn’t talk to you about it first.”

Liam has been in some pretty weird conversations before, but this honestly had to take the cake. He was starting to wonder if he was simply hearing things, but then she went on.

“I know you’ve been divorced for half a decade and all—Louis pointed that out to me more than enough times before I made this trip—but I just, it felt wrong? I don’t really know how to explain but I almost feel like I’m stealing him from you if I don’t talk to you, you know?”

“Not really.” Because Liam honestly did not understand this situation at all. How could he? It was awfully bizarre.

Sandra simply laughed, her nose crinkling up cutely as she giggled at Liam. Liam was more confused as every second passed to be honest, but in the end he did remember his manors.

“Uh, would you like to come in? I’ve just come back from a run, so I don’t exactly have any food to offer you but I could make you some tea or something to eat if you’d like?” Liam found himself rambling, doing his best not to get lost in the most obscene situation his life had ever seen.

“Oh, yes—that’d be very—yes. I’d love to come in, thank you. I just, I wasn’t sure you’d want to talk to me longer than a few short sentences so I didn’t even. Thank you, just… thank you.” She murmured, and Liam had to say she’d certainly obtained America’s hearts for a reason.

“It’s not a problem honestly, I’m sorry if I smell a bit though, haven’t had my shower yet s’all.” Sandra just shrugged, and nodded her head sheepishly.

“I’d say I’m to blame for that, sorry.”

Liam simply laughed at her, before leading her inside his tiny house. It wasn’t until he opened the door that he realized it might be a bit too small for her taste but before he was able to warn her, she was already inside looking around his small loft in awe. It was almost as if she’d never seen anything like it before.

“This is a beautiful house Liam, so warm and welcoming. You’ve done well for yourself—very well.” She commented, staring outside at his newly redone backyard, it had taken him all summer and some help from Harry and Zayn, if you could call what Zayn did even helping that is.

“Um, thanks I guess. The kitchen’s just through here.” Liam led her deeper into his house and Sandra followed with a smile that only seemed to grow the more of the place she saw. “So um—how’s everything?”

Liam honestly had zero idea what he was doing here.

Sandra looked at him a bit sheepishly before taking a sip of the tea that Liam had just handed her. They were sitting at Liam’s two person dining table, and really thank goodness he had had mind enough to buy two chairs for it instead of just the one he’d been planning on getting at first. To his defense he hardly ever had people over and at the time his only friend that ever came over was Zayn and whenever they ate it was in the den, so Liam really didn’t see the point. Harry changed all of that of course, because whenever he was over for dinner he demanded that they eat like humans in the kitchen, not that it was much better when two of them would have to share one chair because Liam was a ‘barbarian’ and only owned two chairs.

Harry really did have a wild imagination.

“Well everything is quite alright, thank you for asking. Other than the small fact that Louis has no idea that I tracked you down I mean.” Her cheeks tinted pink at that and all Liam could do was sit back in his chair with his eyebrows shooting up. “Don’t get me wrong, I told Louis I wanted to meet you but he was so against it that he didn’t even let me finish speaking before he shut me down. It took a couple weeks to track you down, but I eventually did and then I may or may not have told Louis a little fib about where I was going when he asked yesterday afternoon.”

Liam was doing his best not to laugh at her, he really was—but there was just something about this woman that rubbed him the right way. He completely understood what Louis saw in her. She was quite the character and wormed her way right into your heart.

“Right.” Liam eventually choked out, smiling like he didn’t have a choice. “Well you found me I’d say. Why’d you want to do that anyways? I mean you mentioned something or other about wanting my permission to marry him but um—he’s his own person. As long as you have his family’s blessing you’re ace, yeah? I’m really an irrelevant part of his story.”

Liam was now staring down at the table, doing his best to contain his sigh. It was silly really, but she had no reason to ask Liam for permission. It was well over the allotted time for Louis to marry someone else. Anyways, their marriage was more of a mistake than a marriage, at least if Liam were to explain it to anyone. They were stupid and foolish and thought that saying those vows made all of their problems disappear—they didn’t. If anything the problems only seemed to triple.

“You’re not though—trust me Liam when I say that your history with Louis matters to him. He may not act like it but I know him pretty well, and I know he’s just being stubborn. He’s silly and he doesn’t like to admit to his mistakes but what he doesn’t seem to know is that he talks in his sleep.”

Liam laughed at that one, he couldn’t help it. “That fucker still doesn’t believe he does, does he?”

“Not one bit. Thinks I’m lying and then when I get footage of it he claims to remember the entire thing. I caught on eventually and learned to just keep those conversations to myself now, but there are certain things that—well he’s said things that make me think you weren’t as much a small part as a big hole in his life.” Sandra was looking down at the table and suddenly her demeanor had taken on a sort of sad aura, and Liam honestly couldn’t handle it.

“Uh…” Of course, just because he hated to see her like that didn’t mean that he knew what he was doing.

“You aren’t to blame or anything, it’s Louis really. He doesn’t like to face the past so I was just hoping that maybe if I came out here to see you that you could—I don’t know, maybe me being here will make him finally face his past and somehow learn to get over it. We’re supposed to get married in three months and I don’t want to say ‘I do’ to a man that still has unresolved problems from a previous marriage is all. That and I just… he needs to face up to the past sometime. What better time to do it than right after he’s accomplished something so inspiring.”

Liam was finding it hard to really understand what she was talking about. To Liam she was sort of talking in riddles, but that didn’t stop him from catching on slightly. He moved to this city for the exact reason of Louis not knowing where he would be. He came here to this rinky dink little town as a way for him to forget his past with Louis and all the shit that had gone down because of it. Alabama was supposed to give him a reprieve from Louis—not make Louis come after him.

“He can’t—Louis can’t come here. I don’t, I’d really rather him not know where I live anymore.” Liam said, slightly breathless as Sandra looked up her eyes clouded in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I just—this place was supposed to be my new life, and if Louis was to come here then I couldn’t—I moved ya know? I used to live in Chicago, but Louis—I never told him where I went. When we broke things off, I just moved here and had my parents take care of the details surrounding our divorce. As soon as it was finalized I changed my number and cut all ties with him. I don’t—I’d really rather not drag him back into my life if it’s all the same to you.”

Sandra studied him for a few minutes, a frown slowly making its way onto her face. She didn’t look angry with Liam, just slightly concerned. It was as if she was looking into his soul and not his eyes.

“You what—but I thought…” She seemed completely puzzled by it all and that’s when it hit Liam that Sandra probably didn’t know the whole story surrounding their divorce, and it really wasn’t Liam’s place to tell her either.

“Look, if Louis got down on one knee and asked you to marry him then he must have meant it because he doesn’t bend down for anyone—trust me. He finds the whole thing degrading, and the fact of the matter is, he loved you enough to get down on that knee and ask for your hand. You don’t need any more assurance that he wants you than that. He didn’t even do that for me, so I’d say you’re well off Sandra. You guys will be fine.”

“Sandy.” She smiled and took Liam’s hand in hers.

“What?”

“Call me Sandy, it’s what everyone else does anyways.” Her face broke into a small smile before she leaned in and hugged Liam. “Thank you Liam—for talking to me and just everything. You’ve given me so much hope and I don’t even know how else to thank you. I don’t know why you don’t want to see Louis again, but then I guess it really isn’t my place to get involved. I’m sorry for barging in on you like this too, it was quite rude of me.”

“Don’t be, you’re fine love. Come back and visit whenever you’d like.” Liam never thought he’d be saying that to the woman in front of him, but then again he never thought he’d like the woman sitting in front of him, let alone talk to her.

“Just as long as I don’t bring Louis?” She asked, her eyes turning a little sad at the mention of it.

“I’d just—I’d rather not, you know?” Liam shrugged, and Sandra watched him for a moment before sighing and nodding her head.

“Alright, thank you again Liam for everything, I hope you have a wonderful week.”

Liam got up and walked her out the door, thinking how bizarre the whole thing had been but not really dwelling on it. He couldn’t when his buzzer started to go off, calling him to work almost immediately. It seemed like life as the Fire Chief never did end, no matter how small his town was.


	4. Most Wanted Jackass

It wasn’t until two weeks later that he realized he’d made a mistake. He hadn’t really been paying attention that day when Sandy had stopped by. He didn’t notice anyone else was around—but that didn’t mean there wasn’t. Of course there had been and whoever it was thought it was rather interesting for Sandra Sanders to be visiting him of all people and decided to take a picture of it. Now that on its own wouldn’t have frightened Liam, what did frighten him however was the fact that whoever had taken the photo decided to turn it into Sugarscape, and as much as the sight amused him, he was not privy to seeing himself on it.

Neither, it seemed, was Louis.

“Hey Liam, there’s some jackass on the phone for you.” Haden grumbled, as he hunted Liam down to where he was currently helping Harry and Jack wash the truck.

“Uh, right—I’ll be right back.”

“Li, you do know that you don’t have to help us wash the truck anymore? You’ve got more important things to do.” Harry pointed out while throwing soap into Liam’s hair—which was exactly why Liam was helping.

“You’d be lost without me, plus I need to escape from the office every now and then you know. It gets a bit boring in there.” Liam frowned, before heading off inside to deal with some apparent jackass, who was more than likely a member of the Mayor’s staff. It had happened before.

Liam had just gotten into his office when he realized that he’d completely forgotten to change out of his chief’s shirt, and had therefore proceeded into soaking it with soap and water and in turn made it completely see-through. It was honestly probably one of the reasons that chief’s weren’t forced into washing duty. He’d really have to keep that in mind for next time.

“’lo?” Liam asked as soon as he’d sat down at his desk.

“Liam.”

It took a moment, but when everything slotted together Liam realized he was fucked. Like he honestly had no idea what to do other than the very childish thing of slamming the phone down on the receiver—and really no one could blame him for panicking. It wasn’t like he thought he would ever talk to Louis again, really it was no fault of his own that he panicked. He was totally caught off guard.

So when the phone started to ring again, you’d have to forgive him for waiting until the last possible second to pick it up—he really couldn’t have done it any sooner. It had been almost six years since he last spoke to Louis, Liam wasn’t exactly prepared to deal with him anymore nor did he think he’d have to.

“Hello?” This time though, Liam didn’t have anything to worry about seeing as Louis wasn’t going to give him a single second to hang up on him again.

“Hold it right there Liam! If hang up one more time I’m getting on a fucking plane and coming down to see you myself, and you won’t be able to hang up on me then you fucking bastard.” Louis was growling at Liam like he was some sort of feral animal or something and it was all Liam could do not to hang up on Louis on principal alone.

“It was a mistake.” Liam grumbled out, but Louis simply laughed at him—zero traces of humor lacing his voice—Liam could feel a headache coming on already.

“Ah, if it isn’t the lying Liam Payne I’ve come to know and hate—how have you been shithead? Still leading people to their miserable ends?” He sounded so bitter, so hateful and so much like the Louis that Liam remembered him becoming that Liam just sat there stalk still, his jaw clenched tight as his pulse began to rise.

Liam stayed silent allowing Louis to continue to judge him over the phone, just like every other conversation Liam had with Louis the last few months of their relationship. If he’s being completely honest he doesn’t even remember how it used to be. When were they even friends? How were they ever in love? It just doesn’t make sense to Liam.

“Hey Li, who was on the—“ Harry stops short as he enters Liam’s office to see him physically gripping the corner of his desk, his face flushed red with anger and his fist white from exertion.

“Louis do me a favor and calm the fuck down or shut the fuck up, yeah?” Liam finally blurted out just as Louis moved onto bashing Liam for changing his fucking number, as he so kindly put it.

“Why should I do anything for you?” Louis seethed, and Liam simply sighed.

“I don’t know, maybe because you called for something else other than just yelling at me for shit that doesn’t even matter anymore. It’s over—it’s in the past, there’s nothing I can do to change it now, alright?” Liam was suddenly exhausted. He just wanted this conversation to run its course and for Louis to leave him the hell alone again.

It seemed his words made some sort of impact on Louis as he quieted down for a moment at least. Liam couldn’t even hear him breathing on the other end of the line as he stared at Harry, his grip on the table loosening.

“I just—you’re in the tabloids alright? With my fiancé may I add and it just—it shouldn’t have happened. So I wanted to call and talk to you about how this happened s’all.” Louis’ voice was strained and if Liam didn’t know any better he would have thought he sounded a bit hurt.

“Why didn’t you just ask Sandy? It wasn’t like I hunted her down or anything Lou, the photo was taken outside my house.” Liam sighed, glancing down to his still sopping wet shirt with a resigned sigh. He’d have to dry clean this one for sure.

“I did ask her, but she—she didn’t say much and then pictures of the two of you talking show up all over the place and I just sort of lost my shit. I needed to know what happened, but she just keeps saying you had a lovely ‘chat’ or whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean.”

“I think, and this is just me taking a guess here Louis, that she meant we were talking. Nothing big, so cool down, go and talk to her and forget it even happened yeah? It doesn’t matter anyways. Have fun at your wedding.” With that Liam pulled the phone back from his ear and gently placed the phone on the receiver, his hands shaking a little less than the last time he’d hung up on Louis. At least this time he’d had the mind enough to say a quick goodbye.

“Louis, as in your ex-husband Louis Tomlinson, Louis?”

“Uh…” Liam shrugged his shoulders before Harry’s eyes bugged out of his head.

“Holy shit! You just—you just spoke to one of the most sought after men this side of the equator and you yelled at him?!” Harry seemed to be dumbstruck but all Liam could do was stare at his mate with a bit of confusion.

“Most wanted—what? He’s engaged.”

“Exactly, he’s not completely taken yet, and if your past is anything to go by, even then he isn’t completely off the market.” Liam’s face darkened at that but Harry pretended not to see it. “Fuck Liam, you couldn’t have at least gotten Niall’s number while you were on the phone with him? I swear to God that man is too damn adorable for his own good—I want to do bad things to him.”

Harry’s eyes turned a little dark and Liam simply rolled his eyes. Harry really was ridiculous sometimes.

“Harry, get your mind out of the gutter and go take a shower. You’re soaked from head to toe.” Harry simply rolled his eyes, before he turned back around and walked out of Liam’s office, his big hair flying regally as he did so.

Liam kept his mind on work for the rest of the day before he was finally off the clock. He didn’t feel like dwelling over Louis and all the shit that had gone down in their lives, but then again his mind didn’t always treat him the way he wished it would. It wasn’t that everything with Louis had been bad it was just that their end had seemed to taint all the good times they’d managed to have. Liam would sometimes find himself missing a little thing that Louis did but in the end he missed Louis’ family the most—no matter how short the time had been they were his family as well, at least for a time that is. Sadly when Liam cut off all ties with Louis he had to let his family go as well, and seeing as he’d changed his cell number they didn’t exactly keep in touch.

On that note Liam found his mind wondering off to another place: how did Louis even get his number? Honestly though Liam had pretty much run away from anything Louis related, and suddenly he’s calling Liam up? Liam didn’t get it, he didn’t even understand how the entire thing was possible. He’s pretty sure that he dropped off the face of the earth. He never gets on social media sites, his friends are all newer acquaintances, other than Zayn who came here with him. There is no way in Liam’s mind for him to come up with Louis finding him.

He’s at a complete loss when his doorbell rings.

Liam isn’t exactly startled as he is so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn’t even realize he’s let Zayn into his house until his friend knocks him on the shoulder. Liam looks up startled and doesn’t even know how Zayn got there or when. Zayn’s gazing at Liam so intently that he isn’t even able to look him in the eyes.

“Hey Li, Harry told me about...” Liam simply nodded, knowing that Harry would tell Zayn. “So… he sound alright then?”

“Well he was kind of yelling at me the entire time so I couldn’t exactly say that with complete honesty.” Liam huffed out, walking towards the den.

“He was yelling from the start?”

“Yeah, and he was so… he was so angry Zayn, it was almost like it had just happened yesterday when some of the things he mentioned happened six years ago. I mean you knew him way longer than I did—do you remember how things got so bad between us? I don’t even understand it Zayn. I mean I don’t even really remember being happy with him as it is, let alone how it got so bad.”

Liam was frustrated to say the least. His and Louis’ shit should have been over and done with. Liam was responsible for his mistakes, yes, but he wasn’t that same person anymore. He was more mature and he’d become a more compassionate and a more forgiving and loving person. Liam wasn’t the man that Louis remembered, and no matter how he had acted on the phone today, Louis wasn’t the same man that Liam remembered either.

They had changed, and they shouldn’t treat each other like they used to, no matter how bad the habit wanted to reappear.

“Li, you did love him, and I know under all that miserable shit you remember it. You may not want to remember it anymore, but it’s still there. He loved you and you sure as hell loved him too. It’s sad that it didn’t work out, but it was the best for both of you. He may have walked out, but you’re the one who left, so in the end you’re both to blame. Don’t ever take all the blame mate, but don’t put it all on him either alright?”

“I wasn’t…” Liam frowned at that, before he finally began to relax. “It doesn’t matter anyways, he just wanted to know why I was talking to Sandy, and he found out. I doubt I’ll hear from him again really. I mean this is Louis we’re talking about, and as much as he likes to make people think about him twenty four seven, he doesn’t often think of other people that much.”

Zayn shook his head slightly. “Nah, he remembers the ones he cares about Li—you know that.”

Liam decided it was best to forgo a remark to that, and simply changed the subject instead—or well, sort of, he was still a little perplexed about one thing.

“I just don’t understand one thing mate.”

“And what’s that?” Zayn asked, his mind already drifting away from Liam as he walked towards the kitchen.

“How’d he know where I was, let alone get my number?”

Zayn was silent for a moment before he came back into the room, a soda in one hand and lemonade in the other, which he so graciously handed to Liam. He was honestly just gone for lemonade, there was no getting around it. Zayn sat down next to Liam and took a drink before he finally got around to answering Liam’s question.

“It is public record mate, all he’d have to do was ask someone to find your number for him.” Zayn shrugged as if it was that simple, even though it really really wasn’t.

“What do you mean its public record?”

“You work for the government Liam, and you’re a fucking Fire Chief now, it’s kind of a big deal. They release articles about you every now and again, and if someone really wanted to find you all they’d have to do was type in Liam Payne in google and search for a couple pages before you popped up. Then the Fire Station’s number is available on our town’s website. It’s not that hard, plus Sugarscape was nice enough to give Sweetwater a shout out in the beautiful piece they did on you.” Liam elbowed Zayn in the ribs as he laughed at him.

“Do you think it’ll just blow over?” Liam was so hopeful, because he honestly wasn’t that interesting. All he’d really done in life that seemed noteworthy at least, was marry and then divorce Louis. His life outside of Louis was pretty dull in comparison to what the media would normally eat up.

Liam didn’t live life on the edge, he liked to know what he was doing and when he was doing it. He wasn’t exactly the most organized person but he tried to be decently organized at least. He was just a Fire Chief of a small Alabama town called Sweetwater, there was nothing else even remotely interesting about him. He often wished there were but there wasn’t. He was single, and he had two best mates—that was pretty much it. He didn’t see his own family much, but he loved them just as he always had. When he did plan visits home he made sure that Louis wasn’t even in the same city as him because it was just… easier. It was easier on Liam if he didn’t have to worry about running into him. It wasn’t that Liam hated Louis, he just knew it was best to pretend they didn’t exist in the same world. That way at least their mutual friends never had to pick a side, besides Zayn at least—or they didn’t when Liam used to keep in touch. Over the years he just sort of fell away from it all.

Chicago was but a brief memory in his mind these days.

“Yeah Li, I think it will.” Zayn said the words Liam needed to hear, even if he didn’t quite agree with them himself.

“Good that’s—yeah good.”


	5. Snapping Photos

Liam had hoped that no one would read that article, or that those who did wouldn't realize it was actually Liam they were talking about. Of course his hopes and his reality rarely ever lined up, and this was no exception.

"Liam, I didn't know you were acquainted with Sandra Saunders. Why didn't you tell us dear?" He was getting this at the local market and honestly he just wanted to leave it all behind him.

"Oh, it must have slipped my mind." He lied easily. He'd learned the hard way that telling the truth was opening him up to even more questions of curiosity, and it's not as if these people were really invested in his life. Plus, he just preferred to leave his past in the past—so why drag that back up from the grave?

Harry thought it was hilarious how suddenly all of these people were coming up and talking to Liam. It wasn't as if people had ignored the man before, but this time people were actually going out of their way to talk to him. It was almost as bad as the first day he moved to Sweetwater, when all the locals found him and Zayn as interesting as a couple of aliens. Of course that was after they accepted them into their midst, because at first they'd been a little hesitant to invite two strangers into their town. In the end everything worked out alright, at least in Liam's opinion it did. He loves this little town, and can't imagine a life without it anymore.

Of course with that in mind, it's hard for him to miss the new 'outsider' that's been hanging around. Liam's not sure who the damn bloke is, but it seems like he's every single place Liam looks. He's been out to lunch with Harry and the guy was there, he was at the store with Zayn and he was there—he was everywhere Liam looked lately, and it took a few weeks before everything slotted into place.

Pictures started to show up, pictures of Liam doing normal every day shit, and that's when it hit him—he was being stalked by the fucking punk ass kid with red hair and an eyebrow piercing. They really could have sent someone a little less conspicuous.

"Liam, who are you staring at?" Harry finally asked after Liam had been ignoring his boring ass story about this grape that he found this morning, apparently it tasted like heaven even though the place he found it in reminded him of 'hell.' Liam doesn't even want to know, if he's being honest.

"Him." Liam grunts, refusing to take his eyes away from the kid sitting in the park a little ways away from them.

"The fireball?" Harry asks quizzically, as if there was someone else sitting on that bench.

"Yes Haz, the fireball." Liam rolled his eyes at that one, it's not like he could help it.

"Why?"

"Because—he's everywhere."

"I'm pretty sure he's just there mate."

"No, I mean I've seen him all over town as of lately and I don't even know why. It's almost as if he's been stalking me and suddenly all these weird every day photos of me start showing up online and I just—I think he's the one doing it." The more Liam talks about it the more determined he becomes. He needs to talk to this kid, find out what it is exactly that he's doing around Liam.

"What? You think he's been snapping photos of ya?"

"I don't know Harry, but I'm done with all this sneaking about." Harry doesn't even get a chance to ask Liam what he's talking about before the bloke is on his feet and walking away.

It's not a long distance, and Liam reaches the man rather quickly, but he's not feeling as polite as he usually is, the normal smile missing from his face today. The man looks up just as Liam plops down on the bench beside him.

"Mind if I take a seat mate?" Liam asks, though it's hardly a question what with him already on the bench.

"Uh, yeah sure mate—go for it."

"Cool." Liam sat still for about a minute, before he just exploded. "Alright you can stop now, really—my life isn't interesting. I'm just a fireman, you don't need to follow me around anymore. You've caught everything I've ever done on camera, and now you are welcome to leave. Please just, just stop following me. I can't—I don't handle it well."

The kid stared at Liam with a dropped jaw as if he couldn't believe everything that was coming out of Liam's mouth. Truth be told Liam had never expected to say half of that shit, it just sort of all came out in a jumble of words.

"Uh... Liam? As much as I wish I could leave you alone, it's kind of my job you know?" The kid did look at bit apologetic, but Liam knew he couldn't stop so he simply sighed.

"Yeah, I get it. I was just—it was worth a shot you know? I don't exactly enjoy the thought of being watched but... whatever I guess." Liam stared off into space before he realized how rude he was being. "Oh sorry, I'm Liam."

Liam held out his hand, and the bloke next to him just stared at him as if he was the most ridiculous person he'd ever met before grabbing his hand and giving it a quick shake.

 

"Michael, it's nice to officially meet you Liam. Sorry I've been following you around, it's just... well I need the money and it is my job." Liam nodded in understanding.

"Trust me mate, I understand needing a job enough to do almost anything. I once had to take the trash to the bins out on Seventh Street in Chicago at three in the morning. It wasn't exactly a dream job, and I often times just didn't go to sleep until after I everyone else had gotten up for work."

Michael nodded his head emphatically.

"So you lived in Chicago then? Is that where you met Louis?" Liam's ears turned a little pink at that. He had forgotten who it was exactly that he was talking to for a minute, but things started to come back to him and he found himself closing off a bit more.

"Maybe." Liam answered cryptically. "Anyways, I'm just here with my mate Harry, but you're welcome to join us, if you'd like to grab a bite to eat that is. You don't need to follow me from a distance anymore today."

Michael looked at Liam as if he'd just given him the keys to a brand new Mercedes, when all he'd really done was take pity on kid who had the most boring assignment in a town where outcasts were the main source of entertainment, but Liam wasn't one to judge. If his job was to stalk someone for hours on end, Liam thinks a lunch invite with the subject of his stalking would come in way handier.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yeah, I mean—you going to be here for a while?" Michael nodded. "Then might as well get to know my stalker. We're having a guy's night at my place this evening, and you're more than welcome to join us even."

Okay, so Liam didn't exactly know where that came from but he knew how boring this place could be if you were all alone, and Liam couldn't help but take pity on him.

"Fuck mate, I didn't even—most people who realize I'm following them around get a restraining order. I don't get invited to hang out with them! Are you sure you're not just pulling my leg?"

Liam paused for a second, taking a moment to truly think about what he was doing. He was practically inviting the media into his home. Michael would have access to his friends and his living quarters, but when Liam thinks about how much Louis would despise the idea--Liam can't help but do it anyone. It's almost his version of saying a rather loud 'Fuck you' to the man, who, in this case, just happens to be his ex-husband.

"Nah man, I'm not. You really are welcome to come, you know where I live right? So might as well just knock and come in." Michael just shook his head as if he didn't believe anything Liam was saying. "Anyways, you up for lunch?"

Michael followed Liam back over to the bench Harry was still sitting on. He'd been watching the whole conversation take place, and it had gone much better than Harry would have anticipated. Liam smiled slightly at his friend, before turning towards Michael to introduce the two blokes to one another.

"Harry, this is Michael he's um—well he's been assigned to take photos of me, and I've invited him to lunch with us." Harry simply stared at Liam as if he'd gone mad, and well—Liam was acting a little nuts so Harry had every right to.

"Uh, Michael it's lovely to meet you. Would you just give the two of us a quick second?" Michael shrugged as Harry dragged Liam off a little ways. "Liam! You can't just invite the bloke that has been following you around to come and eat lunch with us. That is not how the world works!"

"Harry, he's going to be there anyways, why not just hang out with the bloke and get to know him? He seems nice enough, and it's not as if I'm interesting enough to keep the paper, or column or whatever thing he works for entertained for long. After a while they'll realize I'm nothing special and go back to following Louis or Sandy around instead of Louis' late husband. Plus, it's not like I've got anything to hide."

Liam does his best to look innocent--it wasn't working.

"Ok, first off—you're his ex-husband, not late husband—that makes you sound dead. Second off, you're mental, you're plenty interesting mate. And third, you are bloody insane."

Liam just shrugged at that before Harry finally gave in to his wishes and the two of them joined Michael back at the bench.

"Ready to go?"

"Sure mate, ready whenever you are."

It didn't take long to get to Sweetwater Café, the best place to eat in town—if not one of the only. Harry and Liam were regulars to the café and their table was already all set up in the corner of the room. Karen, the owner, had an adorable two year old little girl Lilly, with her husband Mark. The two of them had taken Liam and Zayn in as one of their own when they first moved to town. Harry had grown up with Karen babysitting him and now he pretty much called her Aunt Karen.

"Boys! Bring a stray in with you?" Karen quirked her eyebrow as she took Michael in, he looked a bit punk to be hanging out in Sweetwater Café but then again, Harry looked too hipster to even live in this little town, so who was Liam to judge.

"Aye, this one's been sent down to learn about our cute little Liam here." Harry pinched Liam's cheeks to which Liam just swatted his hand away. "Of course Leemo couldn't just leave him out there all alone, and here we are—eating with the enemy."

"He's not the enemy Haz, he just has a job that requires him to watch me creepily." Liam shrugged as if this was a normal conversation to be having in Sweetwater, Alabama.

"Actually, I was just supposed to take photos of you doing scandalous shit, but you're pretty straight laced Liam Payne, I must admit--it's a nice change to what I usually see." Michael seemed like he had a couple horror stories stashed away, Liam wasn't particularly interest in hearing them.

"Thanks mate."

"Thank you for... well thanks for welcoming me. Do you think that my co-workers could come in as well? I've been sent out to watch you but there are three of us who work for People and I just—"

"Hold the fuck up!" Harry shouts as he whips his head towards Michael, his attention finally being diverted from his phone. "Did you just say that you work for People, as in People Magazine?!" His eyes are nearly buldging out of his head.

"Uh... yes?"

"Holy shit, Liam you're being stalked by People! That's one big fucking honor there mate."

"I guess?" Liam says rubbing the back of his neck in ebarrassment before turning back to Michael. "Your co-workers are more than welcome to join us. I mean--this is the best place to eat in town and we might as well get to know the guys who are supposed to get to know me."

Michael smiles so wide that Liam's pretty sure he's going to break his face, but then he pulls out his phone and starts talking a mile a minute and Liam stops listening in on his conversation. It doesn't take long for his three coworkers to get there, and they're all pretty damn cool guys if Liam were to say. Harry seems to like them pretty well too, and by the time lunch is over they're all laughing together like old friends.

"Well Liam, thanks for inviting us to eat with you guys. It's much better than eating inside the van that's for sure. At least Michael was able to leave the van and stretch his legs." Luke, Michael's lip ringed friend, says. Michael simply rolls his eyes at Luke before sticking his tongue out at him like a full grown man-child.

"Of course, I mean it was the least I could do since you poor blokes have to follow me around." Liam rolled his eyes at that, and Luke just laughed before Ashton, the one with glasses, spoke up.

"Really though you are being quite cool about this whole thing. Usually by now someone has punched us and another has had a drink of some sort spilled all over their heads. It's normally Calum because his head is just too easy to throw things at." Calum manages to punch Ashton in the shoulder once he finishes.

"Thanks Ash—you say the sweetest things to me."

"You know it." Ashton smiles, before Karen comes back over, little Lilly sitting on her hip easily.

"Hey Liam, how's work?" Karen asks, though really if there had been a fire anywhere in town everyone would have heard about it by now.

"It's going well, Mark is a usual bastard, but he always shows us pictures of Lilly so we forgive him." Liam winks and Karen just laughs. Mark works with Liam at the fire station alongside Harry and a few other blokes, it isn't too big, but they do get called out to jobs in different towns surrounding Sweetwater every now and again, so they do work even if it isn't exactly for the town that they're stationed in.

"Well thanks for watching out for him Liam, we really appreciate it. Don't know what we'd do if anything ever happened to him." Karen smiles gratefully and Liam just turns a little pink, returning her smile with one of his own.

"Of course, wouldn't let any harm come to him or any of the other lads, don't worry Karen. I've got his back."

They all have to leave after a few more minutes, Harry had a limited amount of time to buy some cupcakes from Mrs. Fields before the bakery closed. Michael and his crew had to check in with their work and report back about whatever it is Liam had been up to—Liam pretended not hear them talking about it. 

And Liam just wanted to go home. He needed a nap but more than anything—he needed a break from all the people.

Liam's life had become more hectic than he even thought was possible, and that was something he never garnered happening—ever.

He just needed to get away.


	6. Wishes Don't Come True

It seemed there was only so long Liam could disappear from the world before it came back and bit him in the ass. It had been about two weeks since Liam met Michael and the bunch of them and he'd hung out with them multiple times since then. It was scary how easily the four men seemed to fit into Liam's life. He wasn't one to make a fuss about things, but this was just a strange occurrence to him. Never had Liam ever made a friend that quickly, let alone four. He liked to pretend that they were hanging out with him just because they wanted to, but it was only a few weeks later that it all came crashing down. Just like he knew it would, even if he tried to give them the benefit of the doubt. 

 

It seemed no matter how close they had gotten, they'd still been taking pictures of him.

 

People magazine came out with their monthly issue that January, and Liam's face was all over it. It didn't seem to matter that Liam had invited the lads into his life and home, they'd still written their story. Liam had been stupid to think that they would do anything less. It was their livelihood and as much as Liam hated them for doing it, he didn't really hate them. He understood it all, but he wished somehow that they would just—not.

 

Sadly Liam's wishes hardly ever came true.

 

So to say Liam ignored their phone calls and went into work wouldn't be a complete lie. Liam wasn't taking any calls really, he was letting all his calls go straight to voice message, unless they were from Work of course. He simply went about filing paperwork—but that was a far cry from helping him get his mind off of everything. In the end, Liam ended up outside with the lads washing the truck once more, and of course that's when everything really seemed to catch up with him.

 

He was just washing the rims, doing his best to channel all his hurt and anger into cleaning them until they shine brighter than ever before. Sadly, before he could even finish his second one, someone was tapping him on the shoulder. Liam thought it was Harry, because in retrospect it had always been Harry. Liam really wasn't expecting anyone else and when he turned around already half-way through saying he was 'fine' no one would have blamed him for dropping the sponge on his white shirt—he'd once again forgotten to change—as he came face to face with Louis for the first time in five and half—almost six—years.

 

"Jesus Christ." Liam hissed, ducking down to pick up his soapy sponge.

 

"Nope, just me." Louis smiled, but there was a bitterness laying behind it, almost as if mocking him.

 

"Hell Louis, what are you doing here?" Liam asked, his eyebrows pulled together in confusion. Louis was never supposed to clash with this world that Liam had so carefully pulled together. Louis should have never seen Liam again—he'd worked it all out that way at least. If Liam had gotten what he wished for, he never would have.

Sadly, it seemed Liam's wishes never seemed to come true.

 

"I could ask you the same thing about this Liam Payne." Louis hissed as he shoved the magazine in his face.

 

And for the first time in a very long time, all Liam saw was red. It seemed that only Louis was able to pull this pure rage out of Liam, and if Liam just stared at the magazine for a moment, before turning around and pretending that Louis wasn't there then it really was not Liam's fault. It was his prick of an ex-husband's fault for showing up and accusing Liam of something he had no control over. Yeah, so what if he invited the lads who were writing that article into his home, he was wanted to be reckless for once and he actually ended up liking them. They were nice and they acted like they enjoyed Liam's company. Fuck, Liam didn't know he was being played—he didn't. If Louis was here to yell at him, well then he could fucking leave. Liam didn't have to deal with Louis' shit anymore, they weren't married.

 

And thank Christ for that. 

 

"Liam don't walk away from me! You just keep fucking running away you coward!" Louis was baiting him but Liam was done—done with his shit and done with him. Louis wasn't his problem.

 

Liam stomped back inside, his white shirt soaked through and see-through once more, but Liam couldn't be arsed to care about it. Louis followed behind Liam, he could hear the dickhead from a mile away but Liam just kept going. He walked into the locker room and put a new shirt on as quickly as he could manage before he walked back into his office—Louis of course was already in there.

 

"Liam."

 

"Get out." Liam ground out.

 

"Liam for Christ's sake, I've come all this way to talk to you, you asshole, the least you could do is—"

 

"The least I can do? Really the least I can do?! Louis the fucking nerve of you! I've been followed like a fucking child because of you! People won't leave me the hell alone and all you can think about is yourself. How bloody typical. I'm sorry that your life isn't going the way you would like it to, but mine—I didn't even sign up for this shit! You weren't famous when I met you and now you're all the rage and I just, I shouldn't have to deal with this. We're not married anymore! Why does it bloody matter what I do with my life if you are getting married to Sandy?! I don't give a shit and people won't let me forget it happened! I left our city because of you and—Jesus Christ, just get out!"

 

Liam was yelling and it was such a rare occurrence that Louis was actually listening to him. Liam wasn't one to yell, never had been, but there was just something about Louis that had him raising his voice. Maybe it was the way that he was always provoking Liam—always trying to get him to say shit he didn't mean or at least to explode like Louis always did. Liam was better than that, he knew it too, but Louis just wouldn't let him leave it. Louis had to have things a certain way and it drove Liam up a wall.

 

"Liam—"

 

"Get out Louis—please just... get out." Liam deflated right in front of him, falling into his chair like a miserable fool. Everything was starting to catch up with him and Liam didn't even know what to do. He'd run away from it all—the divorce, Louis, his past, and now everything was back and it was hitting hard.

 

He couldn't see Louis right now, he just needed to lose himself in something that didn't have to do with his past, and work was the only thing he could see. Work was the most important point of all of this—and Liam would be lying if he didn't think about packing up once more and getting lost in another town. Of course, Liam was old enough to know that he couldn't really run away. He was more mature now, and he knew he'd taken the coward's way out—Louis had pointed that out more than enough.

 

"Liam you can't run away from me forever you know. You have to face me at some point. This is getting ridiculous." Louis sounded so far away, but Liam kept his head down. He didn't want to see Louis—he didn't want to talk to him.

 

"I can do as I wish, and right at this very moment I wish you gone Louis. Just leave me alone."

 

"Fine, I'll leave but we're not finished here Liam. We need to discuss this. I mean, why would you even talk to People about anything?" Louis surprisingly didn't sound mad, just confused.

 

"I didn't alright? I talked to Michael and the other lads, and they were nice and they made me laugh and they were my friends or at least I thought they were. It's not I called up this fucking magazine and asked them to do a piece on me. I don't want the spotlight, I just want to be left alone. Is that so hard to believe?"

 

Liam didn't get an answer to his question, but thankfully when Liam lifted his head up off his desk Louis was gone, as much as Liam knew he was being a coward, he needed some time to himself. He would have no peace if Louis was around yelling at him—he couldn't think properly if Louis was there, period.

 

Work went by too fast for Liam's liking. They got called out to help some kid out of a swing at one point—which had been the highlight of Liam's entire day. When he arrived back at the station and packed up to leave, he dreaded it. He dreaded going back home and leaving the only distraction he had managed to find. He didn't want to spend the entire evening thinking about everything that had gone wrong in his marriage, or everything that had gone wrong since. If only he'd never talked to Sandy, maybe his sanctuary would have remained just that—his.

 

Liam was surprised to find four solemn looking men sitting on his porch that evening—he honestly thought they would have left by now, seeing as they'd gotten everything they needed from Liam. He didn't see why they would need to stick around. He had nothing more to offer them.

 

"Liam—you have to believe us when we say, we didn't send that article to them." Luke was the first one to stand up, his eyes bloodshot as if he'd been crying.

 

"Mate, we would have never—we just put the pictures from our hang outs on my laptop and I guess—they took them and ran. We didn't mean for your life to be printed out in three short pages. We didn't even know that they were doing an entire piece on you. We were simply told to take photos of you doing all sorts of things, obviously they wanted a scandal but this wasn't—we wouldn't have done that to you." Michael was up next, his face ringing with sincerity.

 

Liam was exhausted. He didn't know what to think anymore. First his entire life seemed to be printed—only some parts actually true—for the world to see, then Louis showed up and now this. He just couldn't take it all in properly.

 

"You didn't write it then?" Liam asked while pretty much being dead on his feet.

 

"Not a word." Ashton said, his face the definition of sincere.

 

"Alright, I believe you."

 

"You do?" Michael asked, his face scrunched up in disbelief.

 

"Yeah, I do." Liam nodded emphatically.

 

"Mate—thank you. Honestly you just surprise us over and over again and I don't even—you are just the best person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

 

Liam blushed bright red at that, not feeling worthy of any of their praise. Liam was a modest person, but he was still just a person, and therefore he couldn't seem to take the compliments in force. Hell, he could hardly take a compliment, it was one of those things that Louis always yelled at him for. At that time though, he'd been yelling at Liam for not just believing Louis when he would tell Liam how lovely he was. That ship had certainly sailed.

 

"We've been assigned a new job, seeing as your article has been printed but we wanted to see you first and at least say goodbye. You've been so kind to us and we've never been treated as actual people before while doing our job." Ashton added, his smile a little wobbly as he walked forward and hugged Liam tightly.

 

"He's right, and we're going to miss hanging out with you. It's been a blast mate—we're going to miss you." Calum said while adding himself to the hug.

 

"You do know that you're welcome to come back and visit whenever right? Like you don't need to ask or anything. Just stop in and visit us. Harry and Zayn have enjoyed having the four of you around, as have I." Liam smiled a bit when the other two added themselves to the hug.

 

"Thanks Liam, you're amazing."

 

It took a while but eventually they all let each other go. Liam had to say he was sad to see them leave, but hearing that People were done following him around was quite the weight off his shoulders. It had been hanging over his head for such a long time that he didn't even realize he'd dreaded that damn article until it showed up. He wasn't happy about it being out there for the entire world to see, but he was glad that it was over. The storm had hit and now it was passing and Liam could finally move on with his life.

 

"Well we'll get out of your hair Liam, tell Zayn and—holy shit, is that who I think that is?" Michael stopped in the middle of his sentence, and just as Liam was about to turn around to figure out what was so out of this world that Michael couldn't even speak, Louis piped up.

 

"Li, who are these people?" Louis was using his nickname, and it felt wrong.

So very wrong. 

 

Louis wasn't supposed to be able to say his name like that anymore. They broke up, they had a nasty split, and they weren't civil. This was all fucked up—so fucked up Liam wasn't even sure what he was supposed to be doing. He turned his head slightly, and finally took all of Louis in.

 

He was different from how Liam remembered him to be. His shoulders were more defined, his arms littered with even more tattoos while they were now perfectly sculpted. He was wearing a loose tank top under a warm looking hoodie and his chest was sporting an even bigger tattoo that seemed to stretch across the expanse of his shoulders. His hair was quaffed up on top of his head, and he looked good—he always did though.

 

"They're..." Liam glanced back at them before smiling softly at their star struck faces. "They're my friends."

 

"Are you going to introduce me or...?" Louis seemed so out of place in Sweetwater that Liam wasn't even sure what to say.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because it's polite?" Louis knew Liam was always a stickler for being polite, and it seemed that at least that hadn't changed as Liam nodded his head.

 

"Right, Louis this is Michael, Ashton, Calum, and Luke. They're new to town." Liam mumbled, as the lads continued to gaze at Louis with some sort of awe—something Liam just couldn't seem to muster up anymore when it came to Louis.

 

"It's nice to meet you. Liam never was very good at making friends, but I'm glad he's found you." Liam heard that off handed dig at him, and just sighed as he tried to let it slide off of his shoulders.

 

They started up a conversation, Louis getting animated as he started to explain how the last game in the series went down, but Liam zoned out. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to hear all about Louis' new life, he didn't want to remember all the things that Louis did with his hands or how certain looks could pull Liam under his spell like magic. Liam tried his best to forget everything about Louis over the past years, and it wasn't easy but he learned how to avoid certain matters—like baseball.

 

As the lads started to chat about something or another, Liam found himself wondering up his front steps unnoticed. He had already finished saying goodbye to the lads when Louis showed up so he didn't feel bad leaving. They'd made their peace with each other, and he was free to go. He opened the front door and shut it softly behind him. Today had been hell, and Liam would be lying if he said he didn't want to just go to bed and forget all about it. His tiny house felt almost too big as he wondered into the den. He spotted his sofa and sat down solidly on it for a minute just staring off into space.

 

Louis was here, in his town and he didn't know how to deal with that. He didn't even know what had caused his ex to come all the way out here to see him. Liam hadn't done anything to him so in his mind there was absolutely no reason for this entire visit. He knew the article had probably frightened him a bit but Liam had read it, and while the majority of it was bullshit—nothing was bad enough o make Louis fly down here. Hell, they'd been nice enough to print that Liam was happy for Louis, if anything that should have given Louis all he needed to stay home. He just wanted Louis to go back home and let Liam remain a distant memory in his mind. He didn't want to dig into the past because he knew there was a lot that had gone unsaid and he knew Louis would bring it up—it wasn't as if Louis had been the one to pick up all his shit and move across the country.

 

No, Louis may have been the one to walk out the door but it was Liam who took that to mean the end. It was Liam who took Louis' absence as a sign of failure and had packed up all his shit within a week of Louis being gone. It was Liam who enrolled in the Fire Academy and left everything behind—Louis included. That was all on Liam, and as much as it hurt him to think about, he knew he was to blame for most of the bitterness of the divorce, Liam knew he was at fault, but today he couldn't think on it.

 

Today he just needed to forget everything.

 

And as he laid down on his sofa, kicking his shoes off—that's just what Liam did. He fell asleep and dreamed of nothing but a life without Louis and for some reason his entire life felt off balance.


	7. Clear the Air

It was only when Liam woke up that he realized he forgot one important detail—to lock his front door. If he had locked his front door then maybe he would have woken up to an empty house, instead of finding Louis sat in the recliner right across from him playing something or other on his phone. He looked so at ease in Liam's den that for a moment Liam forgot about everything. He forgot about the last six years without Louis and instead drifted back to the days when it was normal for Louis to be there, within reach. Liam let himself remember the good times that they had and he almost smiled, until Louis looked up and their eyes met.

 

After that, everything flooded back and Liam couldn't ignore it any longer.

 

"I see you're awake then." Louis mumbled, his eyes dragging over Liam's face with something that Liam couldn't quite read.

 

"What gave me away?" Liam quipped back, sarcasm lacing his every word.

 

Louis simply rolled his eyes, before sighing and sitting up placing his phone back in his pocket and giving Liam his full attention. Louis' eyes were intent on Liam, as if he was afraid Liam was going to run away from him once more, luckily for Louis, Liam had no more energy to avoid him.

 

"What are you doing here Louis?" Liam sighed, his voice heavy with a sadness he didn't even know he had.

 

"I'm here to talk to you—thought it was about time to clear the air between us, don't you think?" Louis was looking at Liam's coffee table with embarrassment, and Liam couldn't figure out why.

 

"We could have just pretended the other one didn't exist. I would have been alright with that." Liam admitted, his head pulsing with a headache.

 

"Tried that Li, didn't exactly do anything for us, now did it? All it did was get your face plastered across the tabloids and a whole lot of frustration."

 

"I didn't contact them, if that's what you're thinking. I just wanted to live my life peacefully here. Why do you think I moved Lou?" Liam was so out of his element he didn't even know how to speak to Louis anymore.

 

"To get away from me?" Liam blushed a bit at that, shame covering his features.

 

"I mean, yeah alright—at first I came here to get away from you, but then your name started to rise in the sports scene and it just... it was a nice escape, ya know? I didn't have to be surrounded by it or you, I got a clean slate and I relished in it. I was really happy and then I just—I don't know. Sandy came here and the rest is history. I don't even know why I'm news really. So you were married once before, so what? I'm nothing special, just a normal run of the mill fire fighter, there's thousands of us. I'm just another person ya know? It shouldn't matter."

 

Louis was silent at that, Liam was staring down at the floor, too scared to really look at Louis. He may have been away from Louis for years but that didn't mean he didn't know what every single facial expression on Louis' face meant. Liam had been in love with him once, he did know Louis once, even if the man in front of him now was only a ghost of who he had once been.

 

"I know this is going to sound conceited but I can't figure out another way to put it so just bear with me, yeah? I'm kind of famous now Li, that's why they care. I'm marrying Sandy and she's—she's bloody perfect and rich and you're a past figure that no one knew about. No one seemed to know I was bi, no one even had the wherewithal to look into my past—at least they didn't until now. And I'm sorry you got pulled into it and all—but um..." Louis took a moment to pull himself together, before continuing on. "I'm not here about that all. I'm here because—we have a history and it ended awfully and we never really talked about it."

 

"What's there to talk about?" Liam asked, his voice steely as he automatically put his walls up.

 

"Everything Liam, Jesus!" Louis yelled, his face twisting in frustration. "You never even saw me after you fucking left you just—you just mailed me the papers and then nothing! You had your parents meet with me, but you never did. Why?"

 

Liam wasn't going to do this. He wasn't going to dig into the past and talk about all the reasons he couldn't face Louis. He wasn't going to go into the matters of how he couldn't have gone through with it if he had faced him. He would have ended up on his knees begging Louis to take him back and he couldn't—they couldn't keep doing that. They couldn't stay together anymore because they were bad for each other, they always were. Sure there had been a whole hell of a lot of passion in their relationship, but it was also one hell of a nuclear explosion waiting to happen and when everything finally blew up Liam knew they couldn't continue on like that. They were bad together it was as simple as that.

 

"I was done." Liam shrugged, but he couldn't meet Louis' eyes, instead deciding to stare just over his shoulder at the wall.

 

"Yeah, thanks mate—you certainly did make that clear enough. You changed your fucking number and moved across the bloody world to get the fuck away from me. God, Liam do you even... did you ever care? I mean fuck, it didn't seem like a hard thing for you to do."

 

Liam remained silent, and that just set Louis off even more.

 

"Why?! Liam why do you keep doing this to me?! Just give me my answers and I'll be on my way. Sandy keeps moving our fucking date back because she says I've got unresolved shit with you to work out. She tracked you down—something I was never brave enough to do and she came here for me. She came here because I wouldn't—couldn't whatever you want to call it and now I'm here. I love her and I want to marry her so please, God damn it Liam please just tell me what happened to us! I just need to hear you tell me what went wrong and then I can let it all go. I just—"

 

Louis stopped then, stopped yelling, stopped fighting, and stopped everything because Liam was curled up into himself like some type of protection mode had kicked into place. Louis had never seen Liam like this before and he didn't know what to do about it now—not when he hadn't been around Liam in so long he wasn't sure if he was even the same man he had once been.

 

"I didn't love you anymore." Liam said, his entire being burning in outrage as he said the words out loud. "I didn't love you anymore and I just had to get away from it all. You were angry with me, you were always mad and I didn't even know why anymore. I didn't know if it was because I was breathing too loudly or if it was because you found my shirts disgusting or what but—you started to hate me, and I just... I drew back Louis."

 

Louis was silent as Liam started his speech, he was frozen as if unable to move rather than too upset to do so. Liam slowly uncurled, his usual friendly gaze was hard and steeled over with a silent rage that Louis didn't even know he'd been able to produce in his ex-husband.

 

"I couldn't handle being surrounded by all the hatred you threw my way and then I just—I couldn't handle it and you walked out and I saw my opportunity. I saw a way out of it all and I took it but you—you took it first. I may have run away but you pushed me away way before I pushed back. So maybe you need to start looking at yourself and asking why you did what you did and less why I did what I did."

 

Liam was angry, but it was a simmering anger—not aimed at anyone just more like a painful wound that keep digging into him. He didn't know how to fight it off or what to do with himself, because he had never felt like this before. He had never been so mad at someone. Louis though, he was stunned into silence as Liam walked away from him. It was almost as if he had no words for what Liam just said to him.

 

"Liam..."

 

Liam just shook his head a bit, before releasing a deep sigh.

 

"You know what Louis? I'm over it. It's in the past and it doesn't fucking matter anymore. We've both moved on. You're engaged and I'm more than happy with my life. Thank you very much for wanting to clear the air between us, but we're not going to be friends, we were never just friends, and it isn't going to happen now. I think you picked a wonderful woman to move on with, and I wish the two of you the best. I hope you're happy and that you have a lovely family and I hope you're in love with her for as long as you both shall live—just don't pull the same shit with her that you did with me."

 

Louis was staring at Liam with such awe and Liam couldn't figure out why. It wasn't like Liam had done anything remarkable, but Liam wasn't one to judge—or ask at least. Louis had always been his own person.

 

"Liam—I just, I hope you know you are a prize. Someone deserves you, and you deserve happiness too, you know?"

 

"Yeah Lou, I'm just not looking for a relationship. I'm content right now—I've got all I need right here." Liam motioned towards his little home and Louis couldn't help the smile that slipped over his face. Liam's place was adorable.

 

"You've done well for yourself too. I can't believe you've accomplished so much shit Li—it's fucking brilliant." Liam couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

 

"Thanks Louis. Congratulations on yours as well—the World Series mate, talk about an accomplishment." Liam was smiling a bit bigger now.

 

"Oh yeah—thanks." Louis' bashful side had come out and it was always one of Liam's favorite things to see on Louis, and he'd completely forgotten all about it until just then. "Did you watch it?" Louis was looking a bit shy as he asked Liam that.

 

Liam couldn't help it—he burst out laughing. It was all a little surreal actually. Harry had made Liam hear about every single minute of it as he watched the game only to catch a glimpse or so of Niall Horan, the shortstop. Liam thought the blond was cute but Harry was so gone for him that Liam couldn't even make a comment about him without Harry's claws coming out.

 

"What?" Louis looked a little frightened as Liam continued to laugh.

 

"Nothing it's just—no I didn't see it, but I did have to hear about the whole thing and probably not for the reason you might think." Louis' smile fell a bit, but he nodded his head for Liam to continue on anyways. "My mate, Harry—he's a bit head over heels in lust with your shortstop."

 

Louis frowned at that bit. "Niall? Your best mate likes Niall?"

 

"Yeah, wouldn't shut up about the Cubs ever since he saw him on that one Ad—what was it?"

 

"Oh my God! Are you talking about the Old Spice commercial that Niall bragged about being on for ages? I couldn't get him to shut the fuck up for what only felt like years—finally aired then?" Louis smiled proudly at that, even though his words were a bit harsh.

 

"Yeah, a couple weeks before the Series actually. Harry saw it, and that was all he wrote as he swooped in and drooled over every single word. I could probably quote the whole damn thing he watched it so many times." Liam made a gagging face and Louis laughed at that.

 

"I swear I can—Niall kept repeating his lines to me as if I was the only person who could possibly help him out with it. In his defense he said I was the only mate he had that never let him down—I think he just liked to throw it down my throat that he got asked to do a commercial before me. Of course at the time, Niall was like the most popular with the ladies, so obviously he would get the spot. I had been growing out my hair for the Series."

 

"Oh, is that why it was practically down to your ass?"

 

"Shut up Liam! It was not that long. It's one of those traditions you know? Like as soon as we started doing well I would have been murdered if I cut it. Everyone was convinced that it was the lucky charm so it just kept getting longer, much to mine and Sandy's distaste." Louis scrunched up his nose in disgust.

 

"Makes sense I guess, sports people are always superstitious as shit."

 

"Are not you bitch!" Louis yelled, and Liam could only laugh.

 

"Whatever you say Tarzan."

 

"Take it back Liam."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I said so."

 

"Oh God, I'm shaking."

 

"You fucker!" Louis then launched himself at Liam. Liam had completely forgotten how physical Louis could be, he wasn't one to fight with just his words. They rolled around for a little while before Liam got the better of him, pinning Louis to the floor with a smirk on his face. "When the hell did you get so strong?"

 

Liam simply shrugged. "I am a fire fighter now Louis, it was bound to happen. I have to be in shape for a living."

 

Louis stared at him for a moment, and something crossed his face—something Liam pretended not to understand—before it disappeared altogether, allowing Liam to push it away entirely. Louis pushed at Liam's shoulders before he finally gave in and moved off of him. When he sat up he pretended to dust off his shoulders, then stared at Liam with a small smile.

 

"Thanks Liam—glad to know you still have your sense of humor in there somewhere." Liam just quirked his eyebrow in amusement.

 

"Think I lost it or something Lou?"

 

"You can never be too careful these days. Anything is possible." Louis was looking at Liam a little softer than he had been, and Liam could see the cracks in his mask, and underneath he was still Louis, the same one that Liam had fallen in love with.

 

The carefree loving Louis was still inside, and it would be a lie if Liam said his heart didn't skip a beat as he remembered all the fun he had with that Louis. He may have fallen out of love with the person Louis had become but he'd never quite squelched the love he had for the man Louis had been.

 

"So when's the big day?" Liam asked, trying to turn his mind back to the present. Louis was getting married he didn't need to think like that anymore. He couldn't afford it.

 

"January twenty-eighth. It was supposed to be January fourth but apparently I just pissed her off so she moved it back. I honestly didn't think she would do it, and well—she certainly proved me wrong." Liam laughed at that.

 

"Well I hope you don't do anything else to piss her off. She's lovely and I think you were lucky to find someone as great as she is." Liam was so sincere that it almost pissed Louis off.

 

Louis stared at Liam for a moment, his gaze scanning Liam's face which simply made him more and more angry. Louis had always known that Liam didn't think of himself as a prize of any sort and it had always made him furious. Even though they'd been through a fucking nasty divorce it was still strange to find out that Liam thinking less of himself still made Louis so livid. He shouldn't be allowed to talk down about himself like he was—but Louis was no longer in a position to say anything about it. Instead he simply shook his head a bit and stood up. It was well past midnight and Louis had an early flight back home in the morning, but for some reason he found himself wanting to stick around for a while longer. He wanted to know what it was that had pulled Liam to this town of all places, and why the fuck he let Zayn follow him?

 

Louis was curious about so many things, and for the longest time he just pushed them aside and tried to forget about them, but now that he was facing his past he felt his curiosity only increase. Liam had left, but he never really gave Louis the specifics. Zayn had come with him and while here Liam had made more friends than Louis ever remembered him having before. Liam had often times than not held back when it came to meeting new people and that was something else that had always pissed Louis off—if he was going to be honest it was one of the reasons he liked to push Liam until he yelled and screamed and fought back.

 

Louis never thought that he would push Liam too far he never thought that...

 

"So when do you fly back home?" Liam asked curiously, pulling Louis from his thoughts.

 

"Uh—Saturday." Louis doesn't know why he lied, it was only Wednesday and he was supposed to have a flight out of this small town by eight on Thursday—or well it technically was Thursday.

 

"Oh..." Liam frowned at that trying to decide if he should invite Louis to hang out with him and the lads tomorrow evening or if that would be considered inappropriate. Liam was never one to be impolite though and knowing that Louis was stuck in his small town without a clue as to what to do and only really knowing Liam, well Liam really couldn't resist. "Zayn and Harry are coming over tomorrow night, you're welcome to join if you'd like?"

 

It came out more like a statement than a question, but Liam couldn't take it back now. He knew Louis loved Zayn, and Liam also knew that Zayn had chosen Liam over Louis, which more than likely hurt his feelings. It probably wasn't the best idea to shove the two of them together again, but it seemed Louis wasn't exactly thinking the same thing as he nodded his head slowly, a shy smile creeping up onto his face.

 

"What time?"


	8. How Could You?

"You did what?" Zayn hissed, his voice laced in barely contained anger as Liam told him about inviting Louis over for guys night.

 

"I know it's just... I didn't know what else to do! He said he was here until Saturday and Zayn, you and I both know that if you don't know what to do in this town it can be boring as hell." Zayn simply glared at Liam, as if everything he was saying, no matter how true, was complete and utter bullshit and well—it was a bit really.

 

Zayn knew better than anyone how fucked up Liam was after Louis. Zayn was there for the whole thing. Liam could tell his parents he was fine all he wanted but Zayn witnessed just how bad Liam really got. It wasn't that Liam was a horrible person, or that Louis was a bad person either it was just that the two of them together equaled hell on earth. Zayn saw how good it had been and watched as it became a horrendous thing to behold. He tried to get Liam to end it months before he finally did. It wasn't that Zayn didn't want them to be happy it was just that Zayn knew exactly how unhealthy the entire thing had become.

 

When Liam moved here, with Zayn at his side, Zayn helped pull him back together. Liam applied for the Fire Academy when he was accepted he met Harry and then the rest was history. They all became the best of mates. Zayn opened up his own little shop around the corner, a bookstore, with everything in it a person could ever need. If you wanted a good place to study or relax then Zayn's place was the spot to hit. If you wanted somewhere to get away from the noise and business of life and simply lose yourself in someone else's life then his little corner of the world had it all. Liam isn't exactly sure how Zayn managed to stay open because there never seemed to be more than three people in there at a time but somehow he did, and it makes Liam smile to see how far his best mate has come.

 

"Liam, you are such a fucking sucker." Zayn grumbled, but it was the slight curiosity in his voice that made Liam smile.

 

"You miss him and you're happy about it—don't even fucking lie Malik."

 

"I'll say whatever the hell I want to say mate, you can't make me do otherwise." Liam simply rolled his eyes at Zayn knowing full well he was just being a stubborn fuck.

 

"Yeah, alright then Malik. Anyways, I'll see you tonight. Duty calls." He hung up rather quickly as the fire alarm went off and they were called out on a call.

 

The calls always varied, and it wasn't often that they were called out for actual fires, thankfully today was no different. The calls went off perfectly without a hitch and before Liam knew it he was tugging Harry along into his small house as the curly haired lad talked his ear off.

 

"So like, Louis is best mates with Niall then?" Harry's eyes were so wide, it was almost comical.

 

"Yeah, at least that's how he made it sound."

 

"Do you think he'd maybe introduce me to him? I just want to meet him Li—I want to know if his eyes are really that blue in real life and an even better question of whether or not the carpet matches the drapes if you catch my drift." Harry wiggled his eyebrows about like pervert.

 

"Oh for fuck's sake Harry, how do you even know he's gay?" Liam asked, and Harry just scoffed.

 

"Liam, he dyes his hair."

 

"So?"

 

"He dyes his hair blond that is more than enough evidence for me."

 

"How do you know he doesn't just do that because he likes it that color Harry?" Harry rolled his eyes at Liam as if he was being completely ridiculous, and in Harry's mind he totally was.

 

"Liam, this is exactly why you've yet to catch yourself another bloke." Liam frowned at that.

 

"And why's that?" Before Harry could answer though, Zayn was walking through the door with a frown on his face. "What's up with you?"

 

"Fucking lost my favorite shirt." Zayn's frown only deepened as he looked up at Harry who was now trying to sneak off towards the kitchen. "Oh wait, I take that back, seems to me someone stole it."

 

Harry's cheeks tinted a faint pink, before he was shrugging. "I wanted to make a good first impression and you guys both know how well this shirt shows off my swallows, it's like they're framed with perfection and plaid."

 

Zayn just rolled his eyes while Liam watched Harry with ill-disguised amusement. It wasn't but a moment later that the doorbell was ringing, and Harry squealed in delight, as he glanced back towards Liam.

 

"Go get it! I want to meet the in-law."

 

"For fuck's sake Harry, Louis is not Niall's mother."

 

"He should be, because let me tell you Niall deserves one as gorgeous as Liam's Louis." And with that Harry winked at Liam who simply rolled his eyes—Louis wasn't Liam's. He hadn't been Liam's for quite some time.

 

Liam walked briskly to the door only to open it and find one of the last people he would ever expect on the other side. The person in question had bleached blond hair all over his head, and the biggest smile Liam had ever seen. Liam stood there like an idiot just staring at the bloke before Louis finally pushed his teammate out of the way with a sly smile.

 

"You did say your mate wanted to meet this bastard right? I didn't confuse it with Jimmy Petrach or someone way more fun?"

 

"Oh fuck off Lou—I'm great and you know it." Niall said, elbowing Louis in the side before he made it in front of Liam again. "I also heard your mates quite the looker too, would have been a shame not to at least make my way out here and see for myself. Also, can I just say it is a pleasure to meet you. Sadly, I hadn't actually heard about you until a few months back, but people really did make you out to be a rather fine peronson"

 

Louis slapped Niall on the neck, causing the blond to wince a bit before pouting back at him. Louis just gave him a firm look to which Niall sighed and turned back towards Liam, his smile back in place again.

 

"I'm Niall by the way, this fool's best mate—or well he likes to think I am at least."

 

"Piss off you bastard." Niall just laughed at that, before turning back to Liam.

 

"Right, well I certainly wasn't expecting this. When did you get in?" Liam asked, forgetting all about inviting them inside.

 

"A couple hours ago actually. This town is damn adorable, it's so homey. Speaking of homey I love the cottage looking house ya got here." Niall nodded towards Liam's place, finally snapping him out of his funk.

 

"Oh thanks, uh come on in, yeah?" Liam stepped aside allowing Louis and Niall to enter his quaint little home. 

 

Harry and Zayn were currently arguing off by the kitchen enterance, Harry was standing with his back to them. It didn't take but a moment for Zayn to get distracted by the new guests standing in Liam's den. It seemed that Niall's appearance caught Zayn so off guard that he stopped mid-sentence. That was rare for Zayn to do, especially if he was arguing with Harry--he always liked to put Harry in his place.

 

"Oh, speechless now are we? I always knew all those books you read never did anything for you." Harry sassed, but Zayn simply punched his shoulder and nodded his head in the direction of Liam, Louis and Niall, turning Harry's attention around rather effectively. It took a moment for Harry to properly take the lads in but when his eyes caught hold of Louis and Niall standing in Liam's house, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

 

"Ok, yes--I approve." Niall whispered to Liam and Louis, before turning his smile towards Harry, a little more suggestively if Liam was any judge of it.

 

"Hello!" Niall boomed across the small house, his laugh ringing out into the now silent house. "I hope you don't mind me dropping in on your hangout as well. Louis kind of invited me along. I wasn't too busy so I jumped at the opportunity to meet Liam here. You guys seem lovely as well, if I do say so myself."

 

Louis rolled his eyes at his mates blantant flirting, but he was almost too busy staring down Zayn, his used-to-be best mate who was also staring back at Louis, just as tensely. They seemed to be battling a staring contest with each other for a few seconds, before Louis attempted to smile a bit though it turned into more of a grimace than a smile. Zayn just nodded his head once in acknowledgement before he turned towards Harry. Harry was completely oblvious to all of it as he slowly made his way over towards Niall, a hesitant frown on his face. Niall simply watched Harry move, amusement painted all over his features. When Harry was finally directly in front of Niall he lifted up his hand and poked the bloke on the cheek, causing the little Irishman to laugh at him.

 

"Hello there, I'm Niall." Niall held out his hand to Harry who slowly grabbed it with his own.

 

"M' Harry." Harry drawled out, slow and focused, causing Niall to laugh again.

 

"Lovely to meet ya mate, you got anything to eat?" At that Harry seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in and instead grabbed a hold of Niall's wrist and dragged the lad into the kitchen.

 

"We've got some chips and beer, if you're up for it?"

 

"Why not?!"

 

"My sentiments exactly."

 

"I'd say you're a pretty smart man there Harry."

 

"Thank you Niall, I'd say I am too. I'm glad there's finally someone around here for recognizes my genius for what it is."

 

"Oh dear God, what have I done?" Louis asked aloud as he watched the two of them leave the room, loud as two toddlers on a play date.

 

"You've just made Harry the happiest man alive, trust me." Liam muttered, a fond smile pointed in their direction.

 

"Louis, congrats on the World Series. Heard it was wicked." Zayn said, making his way towards Louis a little wariliy. Louis tried to smile in his direction but it didn't go over too well.

 

"Thanks Zayn, it was definitely a little surreal that's for sure." Louis spoke, a reserved disdain tainting the sentiment of his statement sightly.

 

"No doubt, you only talked about playing in it for years." Louis smiled a bit at that, but there was still a bit of discomfort lying just under the surface.

"Yeah, that I did. And you—you always talked about getting out of the city, see you managed that as well. Though how you managed to talk Liam into this place is beyond me." Louis tried his hand at a laugh, but it was hallow and lacked the true joy that most of his laughs held. He stopped altogether when he noticed the look that Zayn and Liam were sending him. "Am I missing something?"

 

"Nah, not really." Zayn replied vaguely, catching Louis off guard while Liam simply glared at him.

 

"Not really?"

 

"I mean, it didn't take much convincing at the time but it's not because of the city." Zayn stated once more, and if Liam could have killed him right then and there he would have.

 

Liam didn't want Louis to know about how they ended up here. Liam didn't really want Louis to know anything about his life outside of Chicago six years ago. It was a fucked up time for Liam and he was as lost as could he be. He'd done things he wasn't proud of, and even if they were divorced at the time it still felt like a betrayal to end all betrayals.

 

It wasn't like Liam thought he owed it to Louis to lie to him, he just didn't feel like bringing anything back into the light when it'd been burned out for so fucking long. Louis didn't need to know—it wouldn't even have the chance to hurt him if he didn't know, so why Zayn was provoking him was beyond Liam. Zayn didn't feel anything for Liam and it was mutual. They were over it, but with Zayn baiting Louis like that he knew this night could only end in one of two ways.

 

Thankfully Zayn let it go to the point that Liam believed they could simply enjoy a night as mates—all five of them. Though with the way Harry and Niall were flirting all night it was a sure sign that they weren't all going to stay just mates. Honestly though Harry was on his game tonight and Niall was initiating just as much as Harry was. It was kind of cute to watch, if not a bit sickening from time to time. Sadly, as the night began to drag on, nearing the time when the lads normally left, Zayn began to pester Louis again, but unlike the last time he didn't stop.

 

"So Louis where'd you go when you walked out on Liam?" Liam's cheeks burned red with embarressment as he glared at Zayn, who simply ignored him.

 

"I um—I went to Stan's house." Louis frowned at that but didn't say anything about it.

 

"Huh, that's funny, wasn't I your best mate back then? Oh wait—I'm sorry you're right, my feelings on the matter were void because of what I told you." Louis' eyes turned slightly darker at that comment and his jaw clenched.

 

"It was fucked up Zayn, and you sure as hell know it." Louis hissed, but in the stark silence of the house it was loud and clear.

 

Liam was confused to say the least, Louis seemed livid with Zayn and Zayn seemed to share his rage, but for a different reason. Harry and Niall were sitting close together but even they'd stopped whispering back and forth with each other noticing the tension beginning to brew in the room. It only took a moment before Louis and Zayn were completely going at it. However, unlike Liam feared, they were at it with words instead of fists, and in the end Liam wasn't sure which one was worse.

 

"Yeah, you're right. It was fucked up being honest with my best mate about how I felt. I'm sorry that I thought you knew me well enough to know I'd never act on my feelings—but then you fucked everything up. You treated Liam like scum, and you thought I would just stand by? I mean fuck you Louis!"

 

"No fuck you! You're the one who admitted to being in love with my husband. You had no right. You fucked with my head and I couldn't—I needed to breathe and I fucked shit up. You though—you didn't even think twice about helping Liam run away from me. I mean, shit, it was like you'd already had all your shit packed."

 

"I did you fucking twat! I was planning on moving, on getting the fuck over myself for your sake, then you—why would you do that Louis?! Liam came to me and he was fucked up and I didn't know what to do about it, so yeah I helped him out, but I didn't fuck him until the divorce had been finalized for a whole year. It was your fault. I gave you an entire year to come after him before I made a move. I loved you and respected what you had but you—you selfish asshole."

 

Louis seemed to lose all his fuel for a split second as he took that in. It was as if someone had taken a bat to his stomach and forcefully punched all the breath from him. 

 

It was horrible to behold.

 

Liam was stunned for a completely different reason, he was more than stunned actually he was blindsided. Louis fucked up their life together because Zayn had feelings for him? That was what he'd gotten out of it all so far at least. Liam had tried with Zayn, but things had fizzled pretty quickly, what with them being best mates and having close to no life to their relationship. It was exactly a year after he got the call from his parents that the paperwork had been filed and he was a free man. Liam was depressed and Zayn was there and when he kissed Liam—it felt good. It was amazing to feel wanted and so they started something, but after a month and half they realized what they had was fun but mostly friendship, nothing to really start a life together between the two of them. They stopped fucking and ended up just being the best of mates, and they'd been fine with it.

 

Liam didn't know—God why couldn't the past stay in the past?

 

"He—fuck he hated me Zayn! He told me himself, God he moved all the way out here. He hated to even look at me, and he had his God damn parents come to our divorce proceedings! How fucking low can you get? I didn't really get to say goodbye. I just left and thought I'd cool off for a few weeks with Stan then we'd fix everything but by the time I was ready to fix things I was being served fucking paperwork that said words like divorce, and irreconcilable differences and I just—fuck it all to hell. I was in bloody love with him but I had no idea how to handle it and you were smooth as fuck and Liam would always come back from a night of hanging out with you and he was gushing! I was jealous as shit and you just sent me off the deep end."

 

They were yelling at each other, both up in arms. At some point they started to push each other causing Harry to hold Zayn back and Niall had his arms wrapped around Louis and suddenly things were slotting into place. Everything was starting to fall together and Liam didn't—he felt sick.

 

He'd never felt so sick to his stomach in his entire life and it was all he could do to stay standing.

 

"Stop." He choked, his throat tight and his eyes stinging as tears started to gather in them. "Stop!" He screamed as Louis and Zayn continued yelling at each other, and it was then that everyone finally saw Liam, witnessing the horrible state he was in.

 

"Get out." He whispered, tears streaming down his face as he did.

 

Louis was staring at Liam with a sudden look of longing but Liam was having none of it. Zayn on the other hand just looked distraught. Harry and Niall looked to have forgotten all about the other as they released their mates.

 

"Li—I didn't—" Zayn began but Liam just shook his head.

 

"Don't, alright just—don't Zayn. I can't talk to you right now. I need... please just get out. Please leave. I can't process this while you're here. I can't even hear myself think right now."

 

Zayn watched his best friend with crest fallen eyes but gave in, grabbing his stuff and walking out the front door. Louis wasn't so easily handled. He'd been standing there staring at Liam as if he'd seen a ghost. It had been such a long time since Louis had seen Liam cry that it almost was like seeing a ghost. He always hated to see his eyes scrunch up in such a manner. Harry and Niall on the other hand, did as Liam requested and walked out the front door.

 

"Liam you—why Zayn? Why couldn't you pick anyone else in the entire world? I would have been fine with Harry or anyone but not him. Fuck just—not him." Louis' voice was strained, but Liam refused to look at him. He wouldn't even meet Louis' eyes in the mirror.

 

"Leave Louis."

 

"No, fuck it all to hell. I will not leave until you tell me exactly what happened. I deserve—shit why'd you go with him?" Louis was on the verge of tears himself, but Liam was too far gone to care.

 

"You don't deserve anything from me. You don't get to do that. You don't get to stand there and pretend that you didn't treat me like shit. You don't get to act like I fucking cheated on you when you were the one... You were the one who fucked with me Louis. You were the one who pushed me away and for the longest fucking time I couldn't figure out why. I stayed up late every night when you were all the way on the other side of our bed just trying to decide what I'd done to make you mad at me that day. I would rack my brain with all sorts of scenarios and situations that I could have done and you wouldn't talk to me. How could you Louis? Huh? How could you?"

 

Liam's voice was steady, the exact opposite of what Louis thought it would be. He was sure that he was going to have to hear Liam sobbing, or at least hear a break in his voice somewhere, but then he just—Liam was livid, and really he had every right to be. Louis, on the other hand, was crushed.

 

"He—Liam Zayn said that he was—fuck, he said he was in love with you."

 

"So were you! Why the fuck does it matter how Zayn felt when you supposedly felt the exact same way?! Huh, Louis?! Explain it to me, how does Zayn being in love with me trump what you felt?!"

 

"Because!"

 

"Because why?!"

 

"Because he deserved you! Alright Liam, Zayn deserved you!"

 

Silence splashed over Liam's house, as Liam finally looked at Louis. His eyes were burning with a hot rage that Louis hadn't seen in such a long time, but at least Liam was looking at him now—at least Louis could reach out to him.

 

"What did you deserve then Louis?"

 

"I..." This time Louis' voice broke and his tears started flowing while all Liam could do was stand there and watch. "I didn't deserve you. For some reason you never saw yourself the way I did Li. You never saw how kind and gentle and lovely you were. You missed all the things that everyone else saw in you, and you always have Liam. It's always made me so mad to see you getting stuck with less than you deserve and for a while I saw myself as one of those things, you know? Your standards were never as high as they should have been and I was beyond sure that I'd just gotten lucky when I got you. You forgave me every time I fucked up—and when I walked out and went to Stan's he let me stay, because he knew, just as we all did, that you'd forgive me. By the time Stan had finally gotten me to come around and ask for your forgiveness--that I was more than sorry for being a shithead—you'd served me the papers. Then I knew there was nothing in the entire world I could do. I lost you—and I couldn't even yell at you, you'd moved and you wouldn't answer my phone calls, and then after months your phone stopped ringing altogether."

 

Liam was silent, but there was a slight change to his demeanor.

 

"I found you—four years ago, I finally hired someone to find you. I just couldn't stand it any longer so I paid a PI to find you and I made the trip out here to see you."

 

Louis' confession startled Liam, his eyes widening as the tears finally stopped flowing.

 

"Why didn't you say anything?"

 

Louis glanced down at his feet but he smiled, even if it was painful to look at. It was small and covered in what could only be assumed as hurt. His eyes told an entire story when he finally glanced back up.

 

"You were washing the truck at the fire station, laughing at something Harry had said and I thought—you just looked so happy. You looked happier than the last two months of our marriage and I couldn't interfere with that. I saw you smiling and laughing and so I turned around and walked away. I gave up on you because I couldn't stand in your way anymore. I stopped by Zayn's shop and saw him first, but I wasn't brave enough to talk to him either, I was a bit scared of how I may have reacted to him anyways. As far as I'd known you'd run off with him, of course when I talked to your family I knew that wasn't true, but that's what it felt like."

 

Louis stepped forwards at that, lifting his hand up to cup Liam's face. He hadn't been this close to Liam in so long and he longed for it. He longed to touch the only man in his life that made everything better. Liam was everything Louis had ever wanted and he lost him. There wasn't a day that had gone by since that Louis didn't wish he would have done something differently. He was an immature asshole, and he didn't deserve Liam back then. As memories flooded through Louis' mind, he tilted Liam's head up just so, making it the perfect angle for Louis to lean in, and that's exactly what he did. Louis leaned in and slotted his lips against Liam's, catching the other lad completely off guard.

 

It was as innocent as a kiss could be, just a press of two lips together, but it meant more. It meant so much more and that's why Liam pulled back. His eyes were trained on Louis' lips, knowing he couldn't look him in the eyes or might be tempted to make a fool of himself.

 

"You should go."

 

"Liam I—"

 

Liam steeled himself back up against Liam, knowing this was the right thing to do. Years had passed and their lives had changed immensely. They loved each once, and there was a part of Liam that would always be in love with Louis, but Louis had moved on. It was time that Liam did the right thing for once in his life and let him move on completely.

 

"You're engaged Louis, and as much as I'd like to hate her, I don't. I loved her actually. She's smart and funny, and she cares about you Lou. She cared enough to track me down and that's why you need to go. Don't fuck it up with her like we did, alright?"

 

Louis wanted Liam to look at him so badly, but Liam just kept his eyes down, before finally stepping away from him altogether. It was in that moment that Louis lost all hope in haivng Liam back--his Liam. His life with Liam was over, and he needed to finally come to terms with it.

 

Liam did his best not to break down as he shut the door on Louis, but he couldn't help it.

 

The pain he felt in that moment was worse than anything else he'd ever felt in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is already finished. I just didn't realize I hadn't posted it on here. I'm going to be going through and editing it as I post it on here so it may time a few days for each chapter, but it's all written so it so be pretty quick really. Hope you enjoy it if you've never read it before. Do enjoy.


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